Avandia Lawsuits
Many patients have spoken with a lawyer about filing an Avandia lawsuit since learning of the health risks associated with the diabetes drug.
Patients taking Avandia face a 64% increased risk of death from heart problems and a 43% higher risk of heart attacks.
Some experts have compared the risk of Avandia side effects to those of Vioxx, an arthritis drug also linked to an increased risk of heart attacks. Vioxx was withdrawn in 2004 amid rising health concerns. Roughly 28,000 lawsuits have been filed by Vioxx patients who allege that their injuries were caused by the drug.
The 43% heart attack risk observed with Avandia is similar to the danger faced by patients taking a low dose of Vioxx.
Alarming risk of side effects
Because the study published by the NEJM only covered short-term use of the drug, the actual risk of Avandia side effects could be much higher in patients taking it for long-term treatment.
The FDA reviewed its findings and found a similar risk of Avandia side effects to what was reported. As many as 60,000–100,000 heart attacks may have been linked to the drug since it came on the market.
Warning from the FDA about Avandia
The FDA has also been critical of GSK’s reporting of the health risks of Avandia. In 2001, the agency sent a warning letter to the company stating that its sales representative had underreported the risk of Avandia side effects.
On June 1, 2007, the first of what may be many Avandia lawsuits was filed against GSK.
If you or a loved one have suffered a heart attack or other injuries after using this drug, you may wish to speak with an Avandia attorney to learn more about gathering the information.
